of worcester



oNiTnD sTATns PATENT carica.

T. F. TAFT, OF IVORCESTR, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, A. P. BROWN, AND INM. lvL PAGE.

SHEAR AND PUNCH.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,835, dated March 26, 1861.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, T. F. TAFT, of the city and county of Vorcester, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain useful and Improved Article of Manufacture, which I denominate Tafts Improved Combined Shear and Punch; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l, represents a front view of the machine, and Figs. 2, 3, and "4 represent detached sections on a reduced scale.

It has always been a desideratum to obtain a machine to be used in machine sho 3s,

and by general iron workers, which shou d possess the combined advantages 'of agood shear and punch, while at the same time the expense and frame work should not much exceed the cost and size of ordinary single machine, and be at the same time capable of independent and simultaneous action.

To accomplish the above, I first make a frame having a base A. from one side of the rear of which projects a curved neck B. which supports the forwardly projecting parts marked C. D. and F. The above parts are all cast in one piece.

Through the top of the part marked C. and D. is a common hole f, while the interior of the parts are cored out as indicated at g, Fig. 3, which is a view of the part C. looking in the direction of arrow 1, Fig. 1, as it appears when the cap E. shaft d, and link piece E. are removed.

Hthin the part C. works a slide piece G. the lower outer side of which is grooved out so as to receive the upper part of knife h, which is bolted thereto by screw bolts as indicated in Fig. 3, so that its outer surface will be flush with the outer surface of the slide G. The upper part of the slide G. is also grooved or cored out as seen at 1, while a pin 2, projects out from the upper part of the slide G. so that when the cap E. is fastened on by bolts E. the end of shaft d, as seen in Fig. 2, will enter the hole f, while the hole in the lower 'end of the link piece E. will be entered by the pin 2, in the slide G. so that as the shaft cZ, is operated by lever c, in the piece I, (the latter being fastened to the end of shaft fl,) the slide G. and shear lz, will have a reciprocating motion im- The punch I-I. is attached to the lower end' of slide G. which works `in a recess in the part D. and is operated by a link similar to E. which passes over an eccentric on the inner end of shaft cl, which is held in place by cap piece E. bolted to D. by bolts D. so that as the lever o', is moved (the part o being fastened to shaft Z,) the punch has a reciprocating motion imparted to it, whereby its lower end is caused to work down into a die in the part I. of the part I. which is bolted to the upper side of the shelf F. by bolts 7c.

By unscrewing the set screws m, the die can be removed and one of a different shape and size be inserted, while the punch can be changed by unscrewing set screw a.

The slide G. is cast with a projection g, so as to allowof the punch being inserted as far out from the frame as possible. The cap E. is recessed as at e, to permit the projection g, to work up and down freely.

j, is a spring or guard to free the point of the punch when it rises.

`The shelf F. is strengthened by having ribs F. cast underneath.

When desired for lightness, the recesses in the parts C. and D. may approach quite near each other-projections f', on each side of the thin web, being left to give proper bearings to the inner ends of the shaft-s d, (Z,

which abut against each other.

Fig. et, is a side view of the parts C. and D. and a part of neck B. looking in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. l.

The hole in the piece I. for the punch die, is round, so that the exterior of all dies can be of the same shape and size. The part punched out drops down through a hole in the shelf or table F.

The parts a, a', cast on the cap pieces E. F. afford suitable bearing surface for the outer edges of shafts el, CZ.

In operating the shear, instead of a lever, a pulley could be attached to the end of shaft CZ, and a continuous rotary motion communicated to said shaft by means of a belt. In this case a uniform reciprocating motion would be communicated to shear L, through eccentric CZ, link E. and slide piece G. The punch could be operated in the same way.

Vhen operated by hand no inconvenience is experienced from one operator interfering` with the other; since one handle can be operated backward while the other is operated forward. Then again, a strip can be cut by the shears from a plate or sheet of ironof any required length, since the sheet passes in a straight line to the left of the neck B. while the part cut off is deflected and passes under said neck. Holes are to be made in the parts marked C. and D. for oiling the bearings of the shafts and eccentrics.

Owing 'to the compact and simple construction of the above machine, it can be afforded at cost that will enable any blacksmith to have one, whereby much of the hard labor and expense attending his profession is o'bviated.

As an article of general utility, its merits are too apparent to require enumeration.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, as an improved article of manufacture, is A combined shear and punch, in which the parts A. B. C. D. and F. are all cast in one piece, in combination with coring out the parts C. and D. substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my naine.

T. F. TAFT.

In presence of- JAMES H. BANoRor'r, O. l?. RICHARDSON. 

